New Engine Build For The 2014 Season

I'd already decided at the start of the 2013 season that I wanted a new engine built and ready for the start of the 2014 season. There wasn't much wrong with the existing engine but it does have 125k on the clock
and it would only be a matter of time before something went wrong with it. A spare engine was acquired in early summer of 2013 and the strip/build process began in the autumn.

Engine Build: The Cylinder Head

The cylinder head was in good condition although there was a lot of carbon build up but that's to be expected on an engine with around 100k on the clock. I sent the head away to be soda blasted
and this removed all the carbon deposits and dirt. The head was then skimmed to ensure it was straight and once the valves had been lapped in it was rebuilt with new seals.

Engine Build: the Block

The block was in pretty good condition aswell, once stripped it was sent to be soda blasted to get rid of all the carbon and dirt. It was then sent to have the bores hoaned and the top skimmed to ensure a flat surface, the new pistons were also pressed on to the con rods at the same time.
It was then just a case of rebuilding it with new rings, big end and main journal bearings along with all new seals and gaskets.

Ideally I would have fitted the head to the block while the engine was still on the stand but I was still waiting for the head bolts to arrive. To save some time I decided to get the block/gearbox back into the car so that when the head bolts arrived it was just a case of bolting the head back on and plumbing it in.